Rotary engine.



No. 880,614. PATBNTBDMAR. 3, 1908.

R. H. WRIGHT sz-M. s. GILL.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION Hum APB. 23.1907.

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R. H. WRIGHT R M. s. GILL.

' ROTARY ENGINE.'

APPLICATION FILED APB. 23,1907.

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R. H. WRIGHT du M. S. GIEL.

RUTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, 19d?.

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ROBERT H. WRIGHT AND MIDDLETON S. GILL, OF MEXICO, MISSOURI.

ROTARY No. 880,614.I specification of ENGINE Letters Patent. Patented March 3, 1908.

Application filed April 23. 1907. Serial No. 369,782.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT I-I. WRIGHT and MIDDLETON S. GILL, citizens of the United States, and residents of Mexico, in the county of Audrain and State of Missouri, have invented an Improved Rotary Engine, of whichthe following is a spedifi'cation.

This invention is an improvement in rotary engines, and consistsin'certain novel I constructions and combinations of parts as l keyed on the piston shaft F to which shaft `about line 3 3 of Fig.1. Fig. 4 is a detail erspective view of. one of the piston blades. ig. 5 is a detail elevation of one of thelcain plates showing the cam grooye therein for operating the abutmentjs.

about line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sec-fL tional view, and Fig. 10 a perspective view,- of one of the valves. Fig. 11 is a section on about line 11--11 of Fig. 1, showing the@ transmission mechanism. Fig. 12 is ..fapsec-fl tional view, and Fig. 13 a perspective 'viewAv of one of the check valves for usein the relief passages. Fig. 14 is a sectional per spective view of a portion of one of the'side sections of the casing. Fig. 15 is a detail;1 perspective view of a portion of the ring for supporting the slide rods, and Fig 16,:isgl-a.. detail sectional view illustrating the part which certain of the pinions work a's preis:-L ently described. Fig. 17 is a detail sectionv=- on about line 17-17 of Fig. 16, and Fig. 18

jection shown in Figs. 1, 16 and 17.

In carrying out our invention, we provide-f a casing A, which is preferably inade in sections, as illustrated in Fig. 1, abutting at A and this casing A has the cylinder A2 carrying the abutments B, and within which the piston O operates in the use of the invention. The casin A has a suitable base A3 which may be bo ted or otherwise secured to a suitable foundation, and the casing has the body portion A4 provided at A5 with bearings for the piston shaft, and has at its outer end a widened portion forming lateral oiisets A0 providing the recesses A7 within which the Eig. e is endg; v1ew,'and Fig. 7 a top plan view of one'ofthe@i abutments, this iigure showingalso one cfgy the slide rods. Fig. 8 is a detailsection on!" tion, These offsets Af also rovide for the radial openings A8 Vin which tlie slide rods B for operating the abutments'B are movable radially, and these slide rods B are provided near their inner ends with projections Bz operating in cam grooves E in the cam plates E. These cam grooves E have the outwardly extending portions E2 corresponding in number and arrangement to the b ades D of the piston C, and the cam plates E' are the piston O is also secured, it may be by bolt-ing. at D2 as shown, or otherwise as desired. The cain plates and the piston being thus secured to the saine shaft, are maintained in 'xed relation, so that the abutnien'ts B ywill be moved out and in in correspondencewith the piston blades D as the .latterfass the abutment-s in `theoperation of the invition,.fas n1ore Jr'ully described hereinafteii. Inconn'ectin0r the slide rods B with the abutments B, thellatter are provided at their ends' with projectin 'apart;'and' the slide rods are grooved in their opposite sides at B4-see Fig. 7-tot between and engage with the said lugs B3, as will be understood from Figs.l 1 and of the drawings. This permits the ready application and removal of the parts in assem ling the engine. I y In Fig. 15 we show a rin lr B1o having radial openings Bnguiding the s ide rods B. The ring BW iits between the sections of the cani plate, .see Fig. 1, and is provided in'its outer vedge with notches BI2 receiving lugs pro] ecting inwardly from the rim or' the case, wherel bythe' guide ring will be held from rotating fwithi the'A cani ilates.

:intervals corresponding to the number of the wall A1O is recessed transversely at A11 to receive the abutnieiits B, and the abutments B when closed against the piston, overlie.the outer edge of the body of the piston C, and the outer surface of the inner circumferential portion A10 of the casing, and preferably iit in shallow grooves in the outer surface of piston blades D7 the outer circumference ofv lugs B3 spaced` the circumferential portion A1", A, and are I drawn down into suchgrooves by the action of the slide rods in the cam grooves E. To secure a tight fit across the joint, between the abutment B and the outer edge of the abutments B operate in the use of the invenbody of the piston C, the central portions-B5 of the abutments are referably slid ably connected with the bo y portions of the abutments and actuated by aspring B6 forming packing strips to pack the joint between the abutments and the outer circular edges of the body of the piston. These packing portions B5 are limited in their movements by studs B7 on the packing portions B5 entering slots Bs in the abutments, as will be understood from Figs. 6 and 8 of the drawings.

In the construction of casing as before described, it will be noticed the casing is made of two side sections having the outer side plates and the inwardly projecting flanges which on the o posite sections form the inner circumferentia wall A10 before described and the outer wall or rim in which the recesses A7 for the reception of the abutments B are formed as before described. It will be noticed that the inner flanges forming the inner circumferential wall A10 are not as long as the flanges forming the outer rim, thus affording the space or slot between them for fhe operation of the piston as shown in The piston C operates between the inner adjacent ends of the inner flanges of the side sections of the casing and is preferably circular in form, see Fig. 3, is packed by triangular rings 'C10 at its rim edges, and is provided with the blades D of which we show two in the construction illustrated inFig. 3. Manifestly, the number of these blades mayT be increased Without departing from any of the principles of our invention. This piston is secured to the hollow shaft F which revolves with the piston and'the shaft F at one side of the piston, communicates through a central .opening C with feed channels C2 leading outwardly withinthe piston to the blades thereof and having feed ports C3 opening in opposite directions to the steam space C* within the casing so that the steam may operate between the piston blade and the next abutment in rear thereof in the operation of the invention.

Our improved engine will be found especially useful in compounding, in doing which the primary and secondary engines, etc., may be constructed alike, except varying as to size, as is usual in compound engines, and the several engines of the series may be suitably geared, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. This special adaptation of the engine for compounding purposes, results largely from the relative arrangement and number of the abutments with respect to the iston blades, whereby the steam exhausted rom one engine to the succeeding engine is taken from between closed abutments.

It will be noticed that we provide three abutments for each of the piston blades, and these abutments are so arranged that after one blade has passed any given abutment,

the' steam space C4 between such given abutment and the next one in rear, will be entirely unobstructed by any piston blade so that the steam in said space may exhaust freely to a succeeding engine in a compound arrangement of engines. In the operation of this construction, during about two-thirds of the travel of the exhaust port G from the rear toward the abutment in advance, the pressure of steam per square inch on the piston blade of the secondary engine will be much greater than the back pressure of the secondary engine upon the blade of the pri vmary engine, this being one object in using the three abutments, a second object being to permit the raising and lowering of said abutments at a time. when they are free from steam pressure and the friction resulting therefrom. This is an in'iportantfeature of our invention, and in carrying it out, we provide exhaust channels G formed in the piston in rear of their respectiveblades and in such relation thereto that they will after the piston blades have passed any particular abutment, communicate with thel space between such abutment and the next succeeding one and permit the steam in such space to exhaust out through the channels G and thence through ports G into a hollow shaft section F on the opposite side of the piston from the central opening C and be supplied thence in any suitable manner to a secondary engine when the engines are compounded.

In forming the ports C3 which operate either as feed or relief ports according to the direction in which the engine is run, we prefer to make them in the piston blades D', the latter having their central portions D2 dovetailed into connection with the piston body as shown in Fig. 3, and made of such length that it will operate in the slot or space A9 in the casing, and this central portion of the piston blade has a chamber D3 registering with the steam passage C2 and receiving steam therefrom. The valves H operate in their respective chambers D3 and are provided. with feed passages H and relief passages H2. The relief passage H2 is diametrically opposite the feed passage lH', and the valve H is made cylindrical so it can turn in its chamber D3, and is also movable longitudinally in the said chamber. In addition to the ports G, we provide the piston with what for convenience of reference we term relief ports C3 leading to relief channels G2 which communicate with the exhaust ports G', are provided with check valves G3, and serve as reliefs for any steam, condensation, or the like, that may accumulate in advance of the piston blades. stood that the piston is moving in the direction indicated by the arrows in said figure the relief passage H2 will maintain communication between relief channel G2 and the steam space C* so that as the piston advances, any

As shown in Fig. 3, it being understeam or the like in advance thereof may be relieved throu h the' said ports and the channels G2. n such position of the parts, it will be noticed that the valve H has its channel H communicating at one end at H3 with the ports C3, and at its other end H4 with the feed channel C2, and the intermediate imperforate portion H5 of the valve between the ports H3 and H1 closes the relief ort on such side of the valve. he noticed that this imperforate portion H5 is of su'liicient length to maintain a cover for the idle relief port C3 throughout a considerable adjustment longitudinally of the valve, which longitudinal adjustment of the valve is for the purpose of controlling the feed of steam to operate the engine by the adjustment of the valve by centrifugal action in order that the valve may be adjusted in accordance with the speed of the engine. This longitudinal adjustment of the valve is accomplished by means presently described, and we also provide for reversing the engine by turning the valves a half revolution, by the means presently described, so

the engine may be driven in one direction or the other as desired. It will be understood that the valves will move outwardly by centrifugal action, as they slide radially within their chambers D3. In controlling this radial movement of the valves, we extend their stems H6 inwardly within the feed channel C2 toward the center of the piston, and provide them near their inner ends with grooves H7 entered by forks on one of the arms of bell crank levers H8, the other arms of said levers being arranged to enter grooves in a collar H2, sliding on an adjusting shaftl I operating within the hollow shaft F, as best shown in Fig. 1. This adjusting shaft is movable rotarily within the hollow shaft F when so desired, but normally rotates with the said shaft in the operation of the invention. The collar H2 is movable along the shaft I by means of a pin H10 projecting from a controlling rod H11 which extends longitudinally within the adjusting lshaft I and is movable longitudinally therein and turns withnthe said shaft I, the pin H1o fitting in a lonfrltudinal slot in the. shaft I so the controlling rod H11 may be moved longitudinally with its pin H10. The controlling rod H11 extends outwardly beyond the end of the shaft I, and is provided with a spring l 12 and a nut I 13 which may be adjusted to vary the tension of the spring, and thus control the operation of the valves by centrifugal action in the use of the invention. By this construction it will be noticed if desired an operator may push upon the outer end of the controlling rod to move the valves outwardly and thus slow down the engine, and the said rod may be adjusted to control the operation of the valves to any desired extent.

We provide for reversing the engine by sso,e14

It will also giving the valves a half rotation by the operation of the shaft I, through gearing, whereby the rotation of the shaft I relatively to the hollow shaft F will turn the valves a half revolution, and thus shift the valve from the position shown in Fig. 3 for instance, to a position the reverse of that shown in said figure, so that the engine will be driven in the opposite direction. To this'end we provide the adjusting shaft I with a gear wheel I meshing with pinions I2 on the valve stems H6, so that the proper movement of the shaft I relatively to the shaft F, will adjust the valves H rotarily as desired. For turning the shaft I, we provide the collar J shown in Fig. 2. This collar has a worm wheel J meshing with a worm'J2 on the adjusting shaft I, and the collar J turns with the hollow shaft F, being provided with forwardly projecting arms J3, which project between correspondingly spaced apart arms in connection with the hollow shaft F, so that While the collar J turns with the shaft F, it is movable axially independent of the said shaft F. This construction by the meshing of the worm wheel with the worm on the adjusting rod, permits us to turn the shaft I relatively to the shaft F, by the movement of the reversing collar in an axial direction, which is accomplished in the construction shown by means of a lever K pivoted at K at its lower end and having the grooved collar J revolving in a suitable bearing at K2. Thus in operation, the engineer may by shifting the collar J in one direction or the other, adjust the valves as may be`desired to turn the engine in one direction or the other. The shaft I is held from moving longitudinally to the left, see Fig. 1, by a shoulder I10 which may be integral therewith or may be a collar suitably secured on the shaft as found convenient. The shaft is held from moving in the other direction by the gear wheel I', which is keyed to the adjusting shaft' and fits closely tothe projection I10 shown in Fig. 16, which acts as a bearing for the hub of the pinions I2, which pinions are entered from the end and held imposition by the hub of the gear wheel I. These pinions I2 have a slot in their central opening in which the stems H enter, the stems being tongued to ft in the grooves in, the pinions I2, causing the stems Hs .to turn with said pinions and also permitting the free centrifugal action of the stems H", which governs the speed of the engine. shaft F from a feed pipe L through a bearing case L', in which the hollow shaft F turns, the shaft F having a series lof openings F2, through which the steam' passes into the shaft F, and a feed'band L2 being arranged within the feed case and extending around the hollow shaft F and having an annular groove L3 in its outer face for the passage of steam around the feed band, and perforations The steam is supplied to the hollow yso L4 leading from the bottom of said groove and communicating with the feed openings F2 so the steam may be supplied uniformly around the hollow shaft, and thus distributed thereto in an even manner as desired.

In the operation of our invention, it will be noticed that the valves will operate automatically to regulate the speed of the engine, by cutting off more or less steam by centrifugal action according 4to the speed of the enine, and that we may in practice conduct the exhaust from the primary engine to a secondary engine without the exhaust operating with more than the minimum back action on any of the piston blades of the primary or preceding engine; also, that provision is made for relieving any pressure that may be in advance of any of the piston blades, when not compounding, and the valves may be given a half revolution by means under the control of the operator in order to reverse the engine as desired.

It will be noticed that when the engine is revolving in one direction, it will operate to exert a considerable tendency in one direction upon the casing, and thus upon the foundation, and to overcome this we provide for exerting a corresponding tendency in the reverse direction upon the Jfoundation, by the transmission devices shown in Figs. 1 and 11, and which we will now describe. These comprise a case M bolted to the foundation and having a rim M provided with an internal gear M2 which is meshed by pinions M3 journaled to a disk M4 keyed upon the piston shaft so the disk MT* will turn with the piston shaft, and the pinions M3 will be caused to revolve by their meshing with the internal gear M2 of the case M. These pinions M3 mesh at their inner sides with a pinion N on a driven shaft N, which is arranged in alinement with the piston shaft, and is caused to turn by the meshing therewith of the pinions M3. These pinions M3 it will be noticed exert a tendency on the transmission `case in the reverse circumferential direction to the tendency exerted on the case A by the operation of the piston therein so that the opposing tendencies counteract each other, and the strain upon the foundation is reduced until is amounts to practically nothing and the engine may be operated without exerting any appreciable strain upon its foundation. It will be understood that another object of the transmission gear is to gain speed in the driven shaft N. As will be understood from Fig. 11, the driven shaft will make five revolutions to one revolution of the engine.

The construction of the piston with its blades in connection with the sectional construction of the casing with the side sections having the inwardly projecting anges, results in a piston having a body portion comparatively thin, and blades at the outer edge of said body portion and extending laterally to the op oslte sides thereof and operating between t e inner and outer flan` es of the side sections of thecasing, where y we secure a broad blade surface upon which the steam operates with a comparatively slight side pressure on the cylinder or casing.

It will be understood that while we prefer to bolt the casing to a foundation, and to provide for revolving the piston, such operation might be reversed and the iston be held from turning and the casing be arranged to turn on the piston, and in the latter event the casing might form a band pulley which will be found useful in economizmg space.

We claim:

l. A rotary engine comprising a casin havingA the opposite side sections provide with the inner and outer flanges projecting toward each other, the inner flanges being shorter than the outer flanges, forming between their adjacent edges an annular space for the body of the piston, and the inner faces of the outer flanges being recessed at intervals for the reception of the abutments, the abutments operating in said recesses, a hollow shaft, a piston having a body secured to said shaft, and provided with piston blades and with steam channels leading thereto and communicating at their inner ends with the hollow shaft, and having at their outer ends ports for the passage of steam to the steam space of the engine, valves movable longitudinally and rotarily in the piston and having ports controlling the passage of steam to the steam space and also ha ving stems extending inwardly toward the center of the piston and provided with beveled pinions, an adjusting shaft having a beveled gear meshing with the inions of the valve stems, and turning normally with the hollow shaft, means for turning the said adjusting shaft relatively to the hollow shaft, whereby to rotate the valves,

a controlling rod, operating longitudinally within the adjusting shaft, and intermediate devices between such controlling rod and the valve stems, whereby the said rod may be operated to effect a longitudinal movement of the valve, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A rotary engine compr1smg a casing, having the opposite side sections provided with inner and outer flanges, projecting toward each other, and forming a steam space, a piston having a body portion operating between the adjacent edges of the inner flanges, and laterally extending blades operating in the steam space of the engine the body portion of the iston being also provided with feed channe s for the passage of steam to the steam space, and means for controlling the passage of steam to the steam space, substantially as set forth.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a piston having a body portion and blades at the outer edge thereof and extending laterally to o posite sides of the piston body, and

a casing aving a steam space receiving said laterally projecting blades, the body portion of the iston being also provided with feed channe s for the passage of steam to the steam space.

4. The combination of a piston having a body portion rovided with feed channels for the passage o steam, valves controlling such passage of' steam, and laterally projecting lades at the outer edge of the piston body, cam plates revolving with the piston, a casing having a steam s ace for the operation of the piston blades an provided with radially movable abutments, and intermediate connections between said abutments and the cam lates whereby the latter may operate the a utment relatively to the piston blades. 5. A rotary engine, having a piston comprising a body portion, having feed channels, blades at the outer edge of the body portion, and havin valve chambers communicating with the eed channels, and orts leading from said valve chambers, va ves movable longitudinally and rotarily in the said valve chambers, means for moving the valves longitudinally, and means for moving the valves rotarily, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. A rotary engine, comprising a hollow shaft iston thereon having a body portion provi ed with feed channelsk for the'passage of steam, and laterall projecting bla'des at the outer edge thereo and a casing having an inner circumferential portion underlying the piston blades, and having a circumferential channel for the reception of the piston body, and also rovided with an outer circumferential wa and with recesses therein for the operation of abutments, a steam space being provided between said inner and outer circumferential walls of the casing, valves controlling the assage of steam through the feed channels o the piston body, and means in the hollow shaft for operating .the valves, substantially as set forth.

7. -A rotary engine having a hollow shaft, a piston secured thereto and having steam channels communicating with the hollow shaft, blades at the outer edge of the piston, and havin valve chambers in communication with ghe steam channels, and provided with ports, valves in the valve chambers, and portedto co erate with the ports thereof, and movable ongitudinally and rotarily in their chambers and provided with inwardly projecting stems, and means` projectin within the hollow shaft, whereby to contro the longitudinal and rotary movements of the valves, substantiall as set forth. 8. The combination of a ho low shaft, a piston having a body secured to said shaft, and provided with steam channels in communication with the bore thereof, piston blades 'at the outer edge of the body,valves movable longitudinally and rotarily in the piston for controlling the feed of steam, means projecting within the hollow shaft for controlling the longitudinal and rotary movements o the valves,a casing having a steam space for the operation of the piston blades, and also provided with recesses and abutments movable therein, cam plates secured to and revolving with the hollow shaft, whereby they move in unison with the piston, and intermediate devices between said cam plates and the abutments in the casing, whereby the same are operated relatively to the piston blades, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of a ciasin a piston, valves controlling the passage o steam for operatin the piston, and movable longitudinally an rotarily in the piston, and means whereby the said valves may be moved lonitulinally and turned, substantially as set Ort 10. The combination of a casing havin inner and outer circumferential walls, space apart forming a steam space, and the inner circumferential wall being provided centrally with an annular opening for the reception of a piston body, a piston body operatin in said annular opening, midway between t e sides of the steam space and having piston blades extending transversely across the steam space and also provided with feed channels for the passage of steam, valves controlling such passage of steam and movable longitudinally and rotarily in the piston, and

abutments in the casing, and means for operl ating the same.

l1. The combination of a casing havin inner and outer circumferential walls an having the inner wall rovided centrally with an annular opening for the reception of a piston body, a piston body operating said opening, and having blades at its outer edge overlying the inner circumferential Wall of the casing, and abutments operating in the casing and provided with central packing portions overlying the joint between the body of the piston and the casing, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination of the casing havin a body portion provided with bearings an having at its outer end a widened p ortlon forming lateral offsets and provided 1n the widened portion with a steam assage an with abutments, a shaft, cam p ates on the shaft and operating within the lateral offsets' within the casing, a shaft to which the piston is fixed, cam plates fixed on the shaft outside of and on opposite sides of the casing whereby they turn with the piston, and rods connected wit the op osite ends of the abutments and extending iifience through the casing and arranged for operation by the cam plates, substantially as set forth.

14; The combination of the casing, the piston operating therein, the valves operating in the piston and movable in an axial direction and also rotarily, a hollow shaft to which the piston is secured, valve stems projecting at their inner ends toward the center of the piston, beveledpinions on said stems, an adjusting shaft having a gear, meshing with said beveled pinions, bell crank levers having arms for o erating the valve stems longitudinally, sai levers being pivoted to the hollow shaft and having arms projecting toward the adjusting shaft, a collar on the adjusting shaft and ooved for the reception of said arms of t e bell crank levers, a pin projecting through the adjusting shaft and en aged with said collar and a controllin ro slidable within the adjusting shaft an connected with the said pin for operating the same, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination of a shaft, a piston thereon, cam plates on the shaft on opposite sides of the piston and spaced a art therefrom and revolving with the sha t, a casing between the cam plates and having at its outer end lateral extensions overlying the cam plates, thepiston being provided with vblades operating in the casin lr and projecting into the portions thereof which overlie the cam plates, abutments operating in the casing and extending into the overlying portions thereof, and intermediate connections? between the abutments and the cam plates,

said connections extending through the inner side of the overlyin portions of the casing, vsubstantially as set forth.

16'. In a rotary engine a casing having a steam space. and a plurality of abutments movable across the same a hollow shaft, a piston operating in the casing and having lades, valves controlling the passage of 'steam to the steam space, the casing having three abutments for each blade of the piston and having exhaust channels intermediate the pistons and devices in the hollow shaft for operating the controlling valve, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

17. The combination with a casin having a steam space and abutments movab e across the same, of a piston operating within the casing and having blades arranged in such relation to the abutments `of the casing that after the piston has passed any given abut- `ment the steam space between the same and the next abutment to the rear will be unobstructed by piston blades, and longitudinally and rotarily movable valves in the piston `worm, a collar on u for controlling the passage of stearnto the piston blades, the piston having an exhaust port in position to register with said unobstructed steam space, and means for relieving the pressure in' advance of the piston, substantially as set forth.

18. The combination in a rotary engine with the piston having a valve chamber and relief and feed ports communicating therewith,of a valve operating in said chamber and movable longitudinally and rotarily therein and provided in one side with an exhaust port to communicate with the feed and relief ports of the chamber and having at its opposite side ports spaced apart, the inner port being adapted to receive the steam and the outer port to communicate with the feed port of the chamber, the val've having an imperforate portion between its inner and outer ports to close the relief port on the feed side of the valve, the said valve, substantially as set forth.

19. The combination with a casing, of a and means for operating piston operating therein, a valve in the piston and movable revolubly therein, a hollow shaft supporting the piston, an adjusting shaft turning normally with the hollow shaft and also capable of turning independently, of the hollow shaft, means whereby the turning of the adjusting shaft may reverse the piston valves, the said adjusting shaft having a the worin, intermediate devices between the collar and the hollowshaft whereby the collar will be turned with the hollow shaft but may be moved axially along the hollow shaft whereby to turn the adjusting shaft in the hollow shaft, and means for moving the said collar in an axial direction, substantially as set forth. A

24). The combination in a rotary engine of a casing, a piston operating therein and having valves, a hollow shaft supporting the piston, an adjusting shaft within the hollow shaft, intermediate devices whereby the turning of the adjusting shaft may reverse the piston valves, a worm on the adjusting shaft, a collar having a worm meshing with that of the adjusting shaft, said collar being 'set forth.

21. A rotary engine comprising a casing having a steam space, abutments movable radially across the same, and'arranged in a series of six equidistant from each other, means for moving said abutments radially across the steam space, a piston within the casing and having two diametrically opposite blades operating in the steam space of the casing, the piston being provided between its blades with exhaust channels in rear of their respective blades in such relation thereto that they will after the piston blades have passed any particular abutshaft being provi iston secured to the hollow shaft, and hav- 20 ing blades operating in the casing, valves in the piston and movable longitudinally and rotarily, an adjusting shaft extending within the hollowT shaft, and turning with and independently of the said shaft, a driven rod ex- 25 l tending within the adjusting shaft, and movable longitudinally therein, means for turning the adjusting shaft independently of the hollowl shaft, intermediate gearing between the adjusting shaft and the valve, and inter- 30 mediate devices between the driven rod and the valves, substantially as set forth.

ment communicate with the space between said abutment and the next succeeding one and also having in advance of said exhaust channels relief ports which communicate with thc exhaust ports and are provided with check valves, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

22. The combination in a rotary engine with the casing and the piston of a hollow shaft connected with the piston, a bearing in which said shaft turns and having a case an a steam band within the case and provided on its outer side with an annular groove and having ports leading therefrom, the hollow 'ded with openings with ROBERT H. WRIGHT.

which said ports communicate, substantially MDDLETGN S. GLL. as set forth. itnesses:

23. The' combination in a rotary engine, of C. B. BLAKEY,

a casing having abutments, a hollow shaft, a XV. L. MCCORD. 

